It's unclear what prompted the latest revision or how the change will affect programs, but not everyone is pleased.

Bruce Leinster, director of contract negotiations and acquisitions policy for IBM Corp.'s public sector group, called the Army regulation alarming.

'Our question is, 'Why?' This has no standing either statutorily or regulatory,' he said.

Leinster, who is chairman of the Procurement Policy Committee of the Information Technology Association of America, said the regulation throws out years of procurement reform giving best value precedence in service contracts.